Tall Clock 1740 - 1760

This 'Tall Clock' was made by Samuel Bagnall, a craftsman active in the mid-18th century. The circular dial on the clock bears the numbers of hours, a motif that recalls the ancient sundials used to track the sun's path through the sky. We find echoes of such celestial arrangements in the Wheel of Fortune, where figures rise and fall along the circumference, guided by fate’s relentless turning. Consider how similar dials appear on scientific instruments, each echoing the same deep fascination with cosmic order and humanity's place within it. Over time, the clock face has been used in various symbolic contexts, from religious to scientific settings, to mark sacred and secular moments. The relentless march of time is both a comforting guide and a symbol of our own mortality. This creates a deep emotional resonance that continues to engage us. Thus, the clock, like the Wheel, speaks to the cyclical nature of existence, a recurring theme in the human narrative.